Describing the Canadian Dream can be difficult. It is more than monetary success, clout, enjoying the rights of democracy and the freedom that comes with them. Although it is difficult to define, when a proud Canadian embodies it, it is truly special.

This is the case for CBS News correspondent Shanelle Kaul.

In 2018, Shanelle began anchoring and reporting for CP24. During her four and a half years there, she covered an array of assignments, moderating primetime panels discussing international headlines including Donald Trump’s impeachment trials, the war in Ukraine and the Freedom Convoy protests in Ottawa. In the process, she became a Canadian household name as millions tuned in daily.

But, at the time of Shanelle’s birth in Sri Lanka, attaining news-anchoring prominence at a respected network seemed far from likely. Her Sri Lankan mother and Indian father both experienced civil unrest in their home countries and strived to provide safety and opportunity for their daughter no matter the sacrifices.

Shortly after Shanelle was born, the Kauls settled in the Middle East. But as the Gulf War erupted, they sought refuge in Canada, making Toronto their new home.

“Confusing and enriching” is how Shanelle describes her childhood.

“As an immigrant of colour, you’re always straddling two worlds. Culturally, you abide by the traditions and the rules in your house. But when you go to school and work, you almost have to be a different version of yourself or emphasize a different part of yourself to fit in. I remember in lots of aspects of my life being the only brown person in the room, and it was challenging to figure out how to fit into different spaces. But, now over the years, I’ve given myself permission to be proud of my roots, and over the years I have learned to lean on all those truly special things that make me who I am.”

Her path to journalism was unintentionally forged by her parents’ heavy reliance on the news. “Because of their experiences in war-torn countries, they always depended on the news. It was a huge part of my childhood,” says Shanelle.

She recalled a profound moment when she was 14 years old, in 2004, when she and her mother watched Canadian news anchor Anne-Marie Mediwake reporting on the tsunami that devastated Sri Lanka. “My mom had turned to me and said, ‘She’s just like us. It’s one of us on TV,’ and I remember something clicking. It was so impactful because there weren’t many women of colour on-screen in TV news in Canada,” says Shanelle.

“We all have emotions, and that cannot just stop when you’re doing an interview. When you’re telling a story, it comes from the heart.”

Shanelle pursued her love for writing during her undergraduate studies by enrolling in the School of Journalism at Toronto Metropolitan University (then known as Ryerson). Throughout that time, she took on multiple internships in the hope of finding a role that was the right fit. She eventually found her true calling in 2012 when she interned at Global News Toronto.

“I worked with a reporter, Sean O’Shea, who was an amazing mentor. He allowed me to sink my teeth into stories and conduct interviews for him occasionally. I got a feel for what it would be like to be a TV reporter beside him. I just had so much fun, and that was the moment I wanted to tell stories on television,” says Shanelle. While working at the assignment desk at Global News Toronto, she quickly soared to new heights by becoming the editorial assistant and assignment coordinator.

To no one’s surprise, Shanelle would go on to attain her first on-air job as the morning news anchor role at Global News Regina, where she developed a passion for breaking news, coordinating coverage for national stories like the Elliot Lake mall collapse and the Eaton Centre shooting rampage. In 2016, she worked as a weekend anchor and daily reporter with CTV News Edmonton, where her coverage of the Fort McMurray wildfires was featured on CTV National News.

After years of experience she can maintain composure even during the most emotionally challenging stories and make it look easy. How? She believes that empathizing and conveying human emotion is so powerful it resonates with the viewership and the interviewee.

“I aim to bring compassion and empathy to my work. For me, that’s been an advantage. In some of the most painful interviews I’ve done, the other person was open to sharing their story because they knew that I was there for them. I was emotionally available,” says Shanelle. “We all have emotions, and that cannot just stop when you’re doing an interview. When you’re telling a story it comes from the heart. Of course, we want our reporting to be neutral and not one-sided, but it is OK to feel.”

Shanelle is now based in New York City, reporting to the CBS News Special Events and Newsgathering units. Additionally, her incredible work can be seen on CBS Mornings, the CBS Evening News, the CBS News Streaming Network and Newspath.

Every day on the job, she aspires to be the kind of role model and mentor she admired as a young girl. She brings gratitude to every situation because of her loving family, culture and position in an industry where few South Asian women have cemented their careers.

The beautiful, authentic and exuberant 33-year-old teaches us how hard work, passion and being yourself can lead to a beautiful life. Although she is an avid traveller, no matter where she is, Canada is proud to call her one of its own.

The post Shanelle Kaul: Illuminating The Truth And Being Authentic appeared first on City Life Toronto Lifestyle Magazine.

photography by Pulmanns

styling by erica cloud

Michelle Monaghan is the kind of woman who any person worth their salt would love to call “friend.” Born in small-town Winthrop, Iowa, Monaghan, 42, is a former blue-ribbon hog wrestler who loves to arm-wrestle at family gatherings.

A Renaissance woman from the get-go, Monaghan originally studied journalism at Colombia College Chicago, dropping out one semester before graduating. A subsequent move to New York opened up a successful career in fashion modelling for Monaghan, who sashayed down the stylishly elite catwalks of Milan, Singapore, Tokyo and the United States. It was an interim step for her on the way to becoming a multi-nominated actress. “Having spent years modelling, I definitely felt comfortable with the camera,” Monaghan says. “I understood what it meant to create a persona and convey a feeling or a story, albeit in a different way. Little did I know, it was grooming me for what ultimately would be my passion. The industry also gave me a really thick skin,” she says. “After so many modelling castings, by the time I started auditioning for roles, the process of not getting a job was more the norm than actually getting one. It rolled off my back, and I just kept going.”

Invested in upholding a positive attitude in tough vulnerable moments, Monaghan does not consider “no” a failure. In fact, it is her continued perseverance throughout that buoys her up at auditions and helps to keep things in perspective. In her early acting days, if Monaghan felt the material was beyond her capacity, she would do her best and focus instead on making a personal or memorable connection with the casting director. “That, in turn, would hopefully allow me the opportunity to be invited back for material that was better suited for me. It’s been all about celebrating the baby steps,” she says.

Monaghan’s small screen roles began with a guest spot on Young Americans (2000), followed by Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2001), then a recurring role on Boston Public in 2002. By 2014, she was part of the starring cast (along with Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson) in the first season of the critically acclaimed HBO series True Detective. “It was a wildly intense and creative bunch and demanding as hell,” Monaghan says. “Everyone gave it their all. That’s when magic happens.”

Monaghan is also strongly vested in her role on The Path, an American web television series (2016–18) that looks at spirituality and religion — or the lack thereof — and how it intimately affects families and relationships. “Religion is a universal theme. People either identify with it or they don’t,” Monaghan says. “Jessica Goldberg, the creator, has honestly and acutely examined what it’s like for believers to have a crisis of faith, or what followers are willing to do or sacrifice in the name of religion, whether it’s for the better or the worst. Faith is inherently personal and provocative, and in being so, it has allowed us a rich and complicated story to tell.”

The 2001 movie Perfume was the start of Monaghan’s big screen casting, which was quickly followed by a supporting role in the movie Unfaithful (2002), starring Richard Gere and Diane Lane. Director Shane Black’s movie Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) was Monaghan’s breakout film, where she starred opposite Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer. High-profile successes quickly followed, with a co-starring role in The Heartbreak Kid (2007) with Ben Stiller and Gone Baby Gone (2007) with Casey Affleck. Always up for an adventure, Monaghan learned to drive an 18-wheeler, double-clutch rig for her role as Diane Ford in Trucker, for which she won a Best Actress Award from the San Diego Film Critics Society in 2009. Monaghan’s characters in The Best of Me, Mission: Impossible III and Source Code, with Jake Gyllenhaal, were all movies that continued to captivate audiences and established Monaghan as a Hollywood dynamo.

The list of leading men that Monaghan has worked with represent a who’s who of Hollywood, including: Robert Downey Jr., Tom Cruise, Hugh Dancy, Matthew McConaughey, Jamie Foxx, Aaron Paul, Chris Evans, Jake Gyllenhaal and Patrick Dempsey, to name a few. The list of stellar actresses is just as impressive. “I love and respect Frances McDormand profoundly, personally and professionally,” Monaghan says. “Charlize Theron is another favourite. Her commitment to character is the real deal, not to mention she’s a total badass. I’d go to the ends of the earth for Malin Åkerman. She and I have been best friends since we made The Heartbreak Kid together,” she says. “Alfre Woodard is the salt of the earth — powerful, poised and funny as hell. There are so many women whom I respect and admire — the list is very long.”

As far as actresses with whom Monaghan would like to work, Viola Davis is at the top of her list.

“Viola Davis is something else; I just want to breathe the same air as her,” Monaghan says. “I also appreciate the enormous talent of Naomi Watts and very much respect her choices. I have a pretty major girl crush on Kathryn Hahn, as well. I embarrassingly remind her of it every time I see her. Meeting Gena Rowlands is a dream of mine. I’d definitely embarrass myself in front of her.”

“I understood what it meant to create a persona and convey a feeling or a story, albeit in a different way. Little did I know, it was grooming me for what ultimately would be my passion”

Proficient and successful on both the big and small screens, Monaghan enjoys each medium for its definitive creative opportunities and challenges. With film, the story usually has a beginning, a middle and an end, allowing Monaghan to create the emotional arch of a character, with a conclusion that satiates viewers. With television, however, the storyline might not be shared with the actresses and actors, which prompts, for Monaghan, measured choices and more of a layering technique when developing characters.

In spite of her hectic work and travelling schedule, Monaghan makes sure that her husband, Peter White, whom she married in 2005, and her children, Willow Katherine, 9, and Tommy Francis, 4, spend personal time together as a family, albeit quality over quantity. “I spend a lot of time travelling, so it’s important that I maximize my time with the kids,” Monaghan says. “Sometimes it’s a quick boogie before school, which my son loves. Sometimes my daughter and I just snuggle up at nighttime and read together. They’re simple things, but they require me to put the phone down and be present, which I know is a constant struggle for a lot of us,” she says. “My husband and I also stick to a pretty tight routine, so we can enjoy our time together, independent of the kiddos. And thank goodness for FaceTime. It’s been a saviour.”

To stay centred, healthy and naturally beautiful, Monaghan ascribes to the balance, balance, balance theory. A “foodie” who loves experiencing new restaurants and taking great pleasure in cooking and sharing, Monaghan does not deny herself anything, an approach that keeps her happy. “Because I’m a bit of a foodie, I try to squeeze in a daily workout, whether it’s a hike, a jog or a spin class. It’s not always manageable, but when I do, I feel my best. I love being outdoors. I also drink three litres of water a day; it does wonders for my skin,” she says. “I’m fortunate to be surrounded by fun-loving people in my life. Being a bit of a rascal keeps me young.”

Social causes such as #TimesUp, #MeToo and #MindTheGap are important causes that Monaghan is honoured to support; in fact, she considers them a necessity. “Times are changing, the shift is happening, which is simply because people are listening, becoming more aware of the issues and understanding their accountability,” Monaghan says. “These movements are collective, and they don’t happen overnight. But if we can appreciate that each of us can make a difference, the impact will be lasting. I’m also incredibly grateful for all the candid conversations I’ve had with men and women this past year. People are being vulnerable and sharing, and it’s humbling and empowering,” she says.

“There’s a silver lining in everything, as they say. I do believe things will be different for our children, and that gives me great solace.”

So what’s next for this popular star who loves more than anything to play tough female characters who fire on all four, six or eight cylinders? Live theatre is definitely an option, the ultimate creative dream for Monaghan, one that she says she is manifesting in real time. “I’m in constant awe of a stage actor’s commitment, stamina and heart. I find it to be one of the most moving and authentic experiences. I always leave the theatre feeling inspired and with a lump in my throat.”

In the meantime, the sixth installment in the Mission: Impossible series, Mission: Impossible – Fallout, starring Monaghan (as Julia Meade-Hunt) and Tom Cruise, will be out in July.

Not bad for a small-town Iowan who’s never had a cavity, can drive a big rig and speaks Japanese.

PHOTOGRAPHY by PULMANNS | STYLING by ERICA CLOUD @ The Only Agency | MAKEUP by SHANE PAISH @ Crosby Carter Mgmt using Chanel | HAIR by JOHN RUGGIERO @ The Wallgroup | MANICURE by MICHELLE SAUNDERS @ Forward Artists | PRODUCTION by FRANK ROLLER @ GLAM PR

The post A True Leading Lady — Michelle Monaghan appeared first on City Life Toronto Lifestyle Magazine.

interview files from Sarah Kanbar

It would be easy to assume that someone who has risen to the position of being one of Canada’s most well-known and respected entertainment television personalities had their eye on that prize since they were very young.

We’ve all heard such tales before, watching TV at all hours, practising in front of the bedroom mirror when they should have been finishing that essay, maybe even using the hairbrush as a microphone to interview their favourite stuffed animals.

But not so for Sangita Patel, the engaging, ebullient and enthusiastic on-air personality for Entertainment Tonight Canada and host for the past three years of Home to Win on HGTV Canada. Instead, you might even say she “engineered” her path to Canadian television stardom.

“I was a professional engineer for many years. I graduated university as an electrical engineer,” says Patel. “I actually had applied for both engineering and journalism at the same time, but I didn’t really tell anyone about applying for journalism. I had been in a pageant as a kid and it was on TV and I thought to myself, ‘This is kind of cool!’ But my dad was the voice of reason, asking me, ‘Where are you going to get a job?’”

But while working as an engineer, Patel’s inner voice continued to be excited about the possibilities and opportunities of a career in journalism. She began to volunteer as a reporter to fuel that passion. She was at Rogers Television doing an entertainment/lifestyle show called Toronto Living when she made a decision.

“After three years of working as an engineer I made the big shift,” recalls Patel. “I started doing weather at The Weather Network, which for me was perfect because it matched the science I loved as an engineer with the television I was so interested in. After that I got picked up by CityTV and then picked up at Entertainment Tonight Canada. I know you hear so many stories about people doing grunt jobs to break into TV just to make a living, but I was already an engineer, so I wasn’t too worried about my life. Everything at the start in television for me just sort of fell into place, and those jobs at The Weather Network and Rogers were blessings to me.”

In the early days of a “normal” profession, one might have an uncomfortable encounter with the big boss in the lunchroom, or spend a long elevator ride trying to make conversation with the chairman of the board. In television, though, those first awkward experiences are slightly different.

“I take the position of being a role model for younger South Asians very seriously, and hopefully I can help that generation reach their dreams”

“One of my first jobs at Entertainment Tonight Canada was covering a red carpet at TIFF, and I really wasn’t sure what TIFF was all about at the time — that was just my assignment for the evening. And I happened to be three months pregnant with my first child,” says Patel. “Who shows up on the red carpet, not talking to any reporters, but Brad Pitt? And I immediately turn into a fan girl. ‘I’m pregnant and I’m cold!’ I yelled for some reason. Brad came right over to me and took hold of my hand to comfort me. All the microphones surrounded us, but I was so stunned I forgot to ask even a single question. It was one of the highlights of my career to that point, and I knew right then this was going to be an incredible experience.”

Subsequent A-lister encounters and interviews have involved Tom Cruise, Julia Roberts and George Clooney, whom she has interviewed three times. The last time, he made her coffee and showed her photos of his new children.

“It’s true what they say: the bigger they are, the nicer they are,” says Patel. “Why I went into this business is my genuine love of talking to people. If I talk to somebody new every day, I’m going to learn something new every day. And listening to what they have to say is such an important factor to capture a moment during an interview that you didn’t expect.”

But aside from the glitz, glamour and fast pace of the entertainment world, there is a side to the business that Patel takes very seriously. As a South Asian born and raised in Toronto, she knows there are few South Asians doing what she does; she embraces her position, realizing she may be a role model for the younger generation.

“I’ve never been in this business thinking I’m a South Asian, if that makes sense,” says Patel. “But about two years ago I began to realize that stature and that I have to acknowledge it. I take the position of being a role model for younger South Asians very seriously, and hopefully I can help that generation reach their dreams.”

Going beyond the red carpets, famous celebrities and pressures of being that role model Patel describes the reality which has shaped her. It is, quite simply a love story.

“I was just 18 and he was 24 when I met my husband Samir. He was studying medicine at the time,” she recalls. “We’ve now been together 20 years, have had two children together, and are enjoying the best times of our lives. I am so blessed to have him not only as my husband, but as my best friend.”

It is Samir’s support that allows Patel to face that daily battle so many millions of Canadian women face: the balance of work and personal life. “He is an incredible dad, so involved in everything our kids do. He even takes care of all the school emails, reminding me what they might have to wear on certain days! I simply could not do what I do or be where I am without Samir. I am so blessed by him.”

“Find something that makes you happy and work hard, because life is way too short. that’s what I’ve always tried to do”

Despite juggling the life of a mother and working journalist with a travel-on-demand lifestyle, Patel takes the time to focus on her health and wellness, with a dedication to fitness. For the last few years she has videotaped her Tuesday workouts and posted them under #FitnessTuesday to encourage other women to get out there and get into fitness, in any form. “When you’re in your thirties and a mom, you may forget to take care of yourself,” she says. “I’m not a fitness fanatic, but I work out four to five times per week. I’m glad these videos can motivate and inspire some women, and I always use #smile with every post I do.”

What with Patel’s being a high-profile woman in the entertainment business, the conversation inevitably turns to current events that cannot be ignored, namely the Hollywood scandal involving Harvey Weinstein and the serious accusations against him.

“I know what women experience in male-dominated industries,” says Patel. “When I was studying engineering, the classes were 80 per cent men, and when I worked in engineering, the businesses were 90 per cent men. It was a world where I dealt with harassment all the time — it was just normal, and you had to just shrug it off. Then I walked into television, where you had to look a certain way because that’s what’s going to sell.”

Patel works with the One Campaign, which is trying to get 130 million girls into education and schools around the world. Because of her heritage, she also addresses the traditions of India, where boys are more valued than girls — this is an area where she sees an opportunity to effect change and educate boys.

“If they are more valued, then why not teach your son at a young age how to treat and respect women?” asks Patel. “Where it starts for real change to happen over time is teaching them what not to do. If you can teach your son to play baseball, you can teach your son how not to treat women.”

What’s next in the life of this dynamo? She has now acted in two movies and she is always open to new experiences. “At the end of the day, you have to live your passion,” says Patel. “Find something that makes you happy and work hard, because life is way too short. That’s what I’ve always tried to do. And talk to people, open up, don’t be a stranger to people, and maybe, just maybe, put down your phone.”

That last piece of advice comes from first-hand experience a few years ago, standing outside a London hospital waiting for Kate Middleton to emerge with a newborn Prince George.

“There were a thousand journalists on that street, and everyone had their phone out,” recalls Patel. “And my producer said, ‘Put away your phone — everyone’s getting the same shot. Put away your phone and live the moment.’ So we all put our phones down and we lived the moment, absorbed it and enjoyed it.”

Clearly, Sangita Patel is living the moment with passion and character, and unlimited possibilities for the future.

The post Sangita Patel: Engineered for Stardom appeared first on City Life Toronto Lifestyle Magazine.